Traction-truck.



0. C. HOUGHTON.

TRACTION TRUCK.

7 APPLICATION FILED JUNE23, T913- 1,142,169. Patented June 8, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Wwefiaea Z w gmw O. C. HOUGHTON.

TRACTION TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23, I913.

Patented June 8, 1915.

9 3SHEET- T2 96 I g2 g5 Q .44 55 45 0. c. HOUGHTON.

TRACTION TRUCK.

APPLTCATION FILED JUNE 23, I913.

Patented June 8, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' Wren snares PATENT orrron.

ORLEY G. HOUGHTON, OF DAVENPORT, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO BULLOCK TRACTORCOMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

TRACTION-TRUCK.

Specification of Letters Eatentf Patented June 8, 1915.

Application filed June 23, 1913. Serial No. 775,272.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORLEY G. HOUGHTON, a citizen of the United States,and. a resident of the city of Davenport, in the county of Scott andState of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inTraction-Trucks; and I do hereby declare that the following descriptionof my said invention, taken in connection with the accompanying "sheetsof drawings, forms a full, clear, and specific specification, which willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

My invention relates generally to improvements in traction trucks, andit con- I sists, essentially, in the novel and peculiar combination ofparts and details of construction, as hereinafter first fully set forthand described and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings already referred to, which serve to illustrate my saidinvention more fully, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the same withcertain parts removed. Fig; 2 is a plan thereof. Fig. 3 is a verticaltransverse section in line 0 0 of Fi 1. Fig. 4 is a similar section inline 1 1 of ig. 1. Fig. 5 is an elevation of a detail of construction,and Fig. 6 a section thereof in line 2 2 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is anelevation of a roller tooth pinion used in connection with my device,certain parts being broken away and shown in section to betterillustrate the in ternal construction. Fig. 8 is a section in line 3 3of Fig. 7.

Like parts are designated by corresponding characters and symbols ofreferencein all the figures of the drawings.

In the design of traction trucks" for farm engines, traction engines,and the like of the endless track laying type, conditions are met withthat do not exist in any other class of machinery. First of all such amechanism must be essentially fool proof by reason of the lack of carebestowed upon the same. Secondly, it must have great strength, yet belight and possess great flexibilityto overcome conditions ofroad orfield.

My truck ossessefs all the necessary qualifications 21nd will nowproceed .todisclose the same by a reference to the drawings, in which Ais the endless track chain, which may be of. any preferred type ofconstruction.

tally from the front and rear face thereof. These hubs have a commonaxial opening through the same for the free reception of a steel shaft3, which shaft is fixed by means of pins 4 and 4 or otherwise in journalbearings 5 and 5*, located on the under side of opposite sills 6 and 6-of a suitable tractor frame C.

On the shaft 3, at the outer end of hub 1, there is located anantifriction washer and exteriorly of this a collar 8 which is fastenedto said shaft by a pin 9 or similar means.

It will now be understood that shaft 3 extends beyond bearing 5 as faras it does beyond bearing 5, and that there is located on such extensionanother truck frame 13 and its appurtenances. Attention is also directedto the fact that the said truck frames are adapted to swivel in avertical plane about the axis of shaft 3 for, purposes hereinafterreferred to.

Declining from hubs 1 and 2 are heavily ribbed side frames 10 and 10extending m opposite directions as seen in Figs. 1, 9, and 10. At itsouter end frame 10? terminates a heavy circular boss 11, which boss isaxially and horizontally apertured for the reception therein of a tightfitting steel shaft 11*, said shaft extending exteriorly'of said hub inboth directions and being held rig-v idly in said hub by pins 12 orother fastening means.

Adapted to extension of shaft 11 there is located a toothedsprocketwheel 13, wh1ch is prevented from withdrawing from said shaft by anantifriction washer 14 and a pinned collar 15. This sprocket is adaptedto mesh into the endless track chain A in an obvious manner. 7

, Meshing into the teeth 13 of sprocket 13' I is a roller pinion 16journaled on a shaft 17,

freely rotate on the forward oscillation of said frame, no perceptiblelengthening or shortening action will take place with respect to thedriving chain (not shown) which actuates sprocket 19. These areimportant features and essentials of a successful and eflicient truck ofthe class described.

,At the free end of side frame 10 there is produced a large circularboss 22 possessed of external side ears 23 and 23 which ears are tappedto receive tap bolts 24 and 24 for purposes hereinafter disclosed. Saidboss has a large, interior, axial circular core for the reception of acylindrical hub 25, Figs. 5 and 6, of a socalled eccentric adjustln'gframe D. This frame comprises the hub 25 having a flange 26 on one endthereof, in

which flange there are formed concentric slots 27 and 27 through whichthe tap bolts 24 and 24 are adapted to be passed in order to clamp saideccentric adjusting frame D in any desired position within the range ofthe slots 27 and 27, to the circular boss 22.

Passing longitudinally through hub 25, eccentrically to the axis of saidhub, there is a shaft 28 extending forwardly of the boss 22 and hub 25.Said shaft is fixed in hub 25 by a pin 28*, or equivalent means, andfreely embracing this shaft is a flat rimmed idler wheel 29 Figs. 1 and2, which wheel is in direct alinementwith the sprbcket wheel 13 andbears upon the endless track chain A as seen in Fig. 1.

i It is now explained that endless track chain A is trained over wheel29- and from withdrawal from shaft 28 by an antifriction Washer 30 and apinned collar 31 on the shaft 28 as illustrated in Fig. 2.

After having been operated for some time there will be caused a slightstretch in the endless track chain A due to a slight reduct1on indiameter of the link pins 32 and a corresponding enlargement of the pinholes 33 Fig. 1, resulting in an undue sag. on the upper run,of thechainand a more or less side flop thereof while in action.; To com- V pensatefor thisextra lengthof chain there s provided the adjusting frame Dhereinbefore described. Releasing the bolts 24,

24 and then giving a few blows of a sledge applied in the properdirection to the flange 26 of said frame D, will rotate this eccentric vand in order to support the same, there is I provided an idler roller34, journaled on a shaft 35, which shaft is supportd in a forked arm 36.This arm is pivotal on a stud 37 fixed in frame 10 a short distance fromhub 1. Set screws 38 passing through the web of arm 36 and bearing uponsaid hub 1 are employed to raise and lower idler 34 in a manner readilyunderstood, for the purpose of raising the upper. lap of the endlesstrack chain as much as may be desired.

Depending in a vertical plane from side frames 10 and 10 are heavilyribbed legs 39, 40, 41, each of which is possessed of a hub 42 at itslower extremity. In each of these hubs there-is firmly fixed a forwardlyextending horizontal shaft 43, on which shafts i The outer ends of theshafts 43 of the bearing-rollers 44, 44, are supported by asemi-circular steel ribbed frame 47 having hubs 48 tightly embracingsaid shafts. This frame is firmly bolted to the ribbed legs 39, 40, 41,by means of bolts 49 tapped into bosses 50, extending out from andheavily ribbedsto the legs 39, 40 and 41 as best seen in Figs. 3, 4, 10,and 11.

It will thus be seen that my traction truck is self-contained in everyrespect. All parts subject to stress or strain are tied together by anintegral casting, yet there is sufficient.

flexibility therein to permit of a .certain amount of give to the partsunder a sudden overload.

The pinion 16 employed to'drive sprocket 13 is of peculiar constructionespecially adapted for the rough and severe serv-,

ice to which it is subjected when in action.

It may briefly be described as follows: It

comprises a central hub 60. Fig.8 having an axia bore 61 and keyseat 62fittin the shaft 17. This hub is formed integra y in the process ofcasting with parallel circular flanges 63 and 64 in spaced relation, andthese flanges are drilled with a plurality of concentric, registeringholes 65 and 66, respectively, those in flange 64 being of smallerdiameter than the ones placed in flange 63. Into and through holes 65are passed pins 67 there being passed over said pins, loosely fittingrollers 68, the length of which are equal to the space between theflanges 63 and 64 less a slight clearance. One end of pins 67 isshouldered at 69 for passage through holes 66, exteriorly of which thepins are riveted over at 7 0. When so riveted home, the opposite end ofthese pins are just flush with the exterior face of flange 63, at whichend said pins are axially drilled at 71 for a portion of their lengthand then cross drilled at 72 to afford the entrance of a lubricant tothe interior bore of the rollers 68. These pins and rollers are allhardened to resist wear and reduce the friction between the parts andbetween the roll ers themselves and the teeth 13 of sprocket 13.

To introduce lubricant to the oil channels 71, there is first placedagainst the exterior face of flange 63 a punched annular gasket 73, theholes in which register with holes 71. And against this gasket is boltedby bolts 74 a double walled circular metallic chamber 75. Wall 76 ofthis chamber is punctured with holes 77 registering with holes 71, andopposite wall 78 has an axial opening 79, into which is led an oil pipe80 of an oil cup 81, which cup is conveniently located on truck frame B,

Oil chamber 75 is intended to be kept slightly less than half full ofoil at all times, so that when the rollers 68 in the course of therotation of the pinion reach a point below the horizontal center linetheir interior surfaces will be flushed with oilv passing through theoil passages 71 and 72.

While herein I have described the preferred construction of my tractiontruck, I desire it understood that I may make such changes andalterations therein as would suggest themselves to the skilledmechanicand permitted under the doctrine of mechanical equivalents withoutfalling outside the spirit or scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention I claim as new and desire tosecure to myself by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. In a traction engine, the combination, of a main frame, anoscillating truck frame pivotally connected to said main frame, saidtruck frame including a substantially triangular member having at itsapex a shaft on which said truck frame is constructed to oscillate, saidtruck frame having downwheel, a bracket formed integrally with one 'ofsaid inclined members at the rear side thereof and connecting said endbearing to the bearing at the apex of said triangular frame, saidbracket being in spaced relation to said inclined frame-member, abearing in said bracket adjacent to said apex-bearing, and a bearing insaid inclined member in alinement with the bearing in said bracket, adriving shaft rotatably journaled in said bracket and said inclinedmember, a sprocket wheel aflixed to said latter shaft between saidbracket and the inclined member, and a lantern pinion affixed to saidshaft at the outer side of said truck frame and engaging saidchain-sprocket, there being in the bearing for the idler track-chainwheel-shaft eccentrically disposed means for varying the distancebetween said sprocket and the idler wheel.

2. In a tractor of the type described, a main frame, and a truck'framepivotally connected to said main frame, said truck frame including asubstantially triangular body having at its apex a shaft on which saidtruck frame is constructed to oscillate, said truck frame havingdownwardly ex tending members terminating in bearings, a shaft in eachof said bearings, a sprocket wheel rotatably mounted onone of saidshafts, and an idler wheel rotatably mounted on the other of saidshafts, an endless track trained over said sprocket and said idlerwheel, and means for supporting the truck frame upon the lower run ofsaid endless track, said latter means including verticallydisposed legspending from the inclined members of said truck frame, said legs ter- 7bearings in alinement with the bearings onv said legs, shaftshorizontally disposed in the latter bearings, and flanged bearing wheelsmounted on said shafts constructed to rotate upon the upper surface ofthe lower run of said endless track.

3. In a traction engine of the type described, the combination, of amain frame, a truck frame connected to said main frame, a drivensprocket and an idler wheel rotatably mounted in said truck frame, anendless track trained over said sprocket and said idler wheel, and meansfor varying the distance between said sprocket and said idler wheel,said means including a centrally bored hub at one terminal of saidtruckframe, a flanged hub, there being curved slots. in said flange, a borethrough said hub eccentric to the axis of rotation of said flanged hub,a shaft in the latter bore on which said idler wheel is constructed torotate, and means for movably securing said self-laying track-bandtrained over a pair of spaced Wheels, oneof which, at least is asprocket wheel, a lantern pinion constructed to engage said sprocketwheel, said lantern pinion comprising two annular disks in spacedrelation, pins constructed to connect said disks, there being a centralbore in each pin, and a cross-passage leading from the central bore tothe periphery of said pin, a roller on each pin, an annular chamber atthe flank of one of said annular disks, said chamber being ofapproximately the same diameter as said disk, there being in the wall ofsaid chamber adjacent to the flank of said disk openings communicatingwith the centralbores of said pins.

5. In a traction engine of the type described, having endless,self-laying track-- band, a sprocket wheel ovei which said track-band istrained, a lantern pinion constructed to engage said sprocket Wheel,said lantern pinion comprising two annular disks in parallel spacedrelation, a series of pins constructed to connect said disks, therebeing in each pin a central bore and a radial passage leading from saidcentral passage, a roller on eachpin, a single annular chamber at theflank of one of said annular disks, there being in the wall of saidchamber, openings communicating with all of the cen tral bores of saidpins.

6. In a traction engine, the combination with a chassis, a motor mountedon said chassis, one or more trucks constructed to support said chassis,a sprocket wheel at one end of said truck, a wheel at the other end ofsaid truck, an endless traction band trained over the co-acting pair ofsaid Wheels, a lantern pinion constructed to engage the said-sprocketwheel, and intermewitnesses.

diate mechanism constructed to connect said motor to said lantern pinionto rotate said sprocket wheel directly by said lantern pinion, saidlantern pinion including two circular disks in spaced relation, an axleon which said disks are mounted, and a series of pins concentric to theaxis of said shaft, said pins performing the function of cogs for saidpinion.

7. In a tractor having endless self-laying track-bands, a pairof wheels,one of which at least is a sprocket-wheel over which said self-layingtrack is trained, a motor on said tractor, a lantern pinion constructedto engage said sprocket-Wheel, and intermediate mechanism constructed toconnect said motor to said lantern pinion to rotate said sprocket-wheeldirectly by said lantern pinion, said lantern pinion including twocircular disks in spaced relation, anaxle on which said disks aremounted, and a series of.

pins concentric to the axis of said shaft, said pins performing thefunction of cogs for said pinion.

8. In a tractor of the type described, the combination, with a combineddriven and driving sprocket-Wheel, of a driving pinion for saidsprocket-wheel, said pinion comprising a central hub and-two annularflanges in parallel spaced relation, said hub and flanges beingintegrally formed, a series of apertures in each flange concentric tothe axis of said hub, and in alined relation, a like series of pinsfastened in one of said flanges and entering the opposing openings inthe companion flange, and an anti-friction roller on each of said pins.f

n testimony whereof I have hereunto set my'hand in the presence of twosubscribing ORLEY G. HOUGHTON. In the presence of CALVIN NIsBE'r,

J .'L. 'NISBET.

